We are of the generation that was inspired by Gloria Steinem’s writings and speeches. Steinem was a charismatic leader who, for six decades, urged women to pursue self-affirmation, political power, and equality both in the workplace and at home. Steinem inspired us to pursue ambitious professional roles, and we became activists and feminist advocates. We worked hard to cultivate candidates and elect women to political office and had the pleasure of mentoring younger women who became involved in their communities and sought leadership roles across sectors.
Today, many of the crucial strides achieved by the women’s movement have been reversed, and fighting for women’s rights feels more urgent than ever. Federal policies and economic uncertainty are already limiting opportunities for women in the workplace. Progress toward gender-balanced corporate leadership has stalled in high tech sectors. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has led to chaos, confusion, and tragedy in how different states provide women’s reproductive health care programs. And the retreat from diversity and gender-equity initiatives at universities and corporations has raised concerns about advancement for women, racial minorities, and LGBTQ+ people. Continued mention of the SAVE ACT without mention of the stark and specific impact on married women’s right to vote is unconscionable.
Federal policies that affect women have consequences that will trickle down to California and our local community. Consider examples:
- The dismantling or retrenchment of diversity initiatives has coincided with changes in the representation and advancement of women in senior government and military positions.
- Changes in military standards and proposals concerning physical requirements and health assessments decrease opportunities for women and sexual minorities in the armed forces.
- Reductions in the federal workforce have had significant effects on Black women, who have historically constituted a substantial share of the federal workforce.
- Proposed changes in the federal education infrastructure and funding for DEI programs and teacher training will limit leadership opportunities for generations of Latinas who are educational professionals at every level; e.g., in California, Hispanic teachers presently comprise about 25 percent of the K-12 teacher workforce.
- Federal restrictions on funding women’s reproductive health care programs have affected organizations that provide cancer screenings as well as contraception.
- The reorganization of the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights raises questions about whether Title IX complaints of discrimination will be investigated at all.
- Despite ratification by 38 states, the Equal Rights Amendment has not been added to the Constitution, remaining an unfinished chapter in the struggle for women’s equality.
Issues that begin at the federal level are not abstract and will affect women and families locally.
As a leader, Gloria Steinem reminded women that “Voting isn’t the most we can do, but it is the least. To have a democracy, you have to want one.” Women today want a democracy in which they have political power and the midterm elections provide that opportunity. Let’s remember that women have been a majority of the electorate for the past two decades and today, winning the midterms is a feminist issue. Imagine if women voted as a block, transcending the differences that divide us.
When it comes down to tough economic choices, let’s get our priorities straight. As Steinem reminded us, with her characteristic wit, the question is simple: Who needs a ballroom?
Lois Phillips, PhD, founder of Antioch University Santa Barbara, writes about gender and rhetoric and is a communications consultant to candidates and executives. Beth Schneider, PhD is UCSB Sociology Professor (Emerita), scholar regarding political and social movements, and a founding mother of the UCSB Department of Feminist Studies.
